File



l Nov; 3l V1925- 1,560,072 J. R. BERNDT FILE Filed Nov. 25, 1924 `2 sheets-sheet 2 aman.

Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS R. BERNDT, 0F CALDWELL, TEXAS.

FILE.

Application filed November 25, 1924. Serial No. 752,198.

Il 10 @ZZ wlw/m, t may'conccm Be it known that I, JULIUs R. BERNDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Caldwell, in the county of Burleson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a File, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates-to improvements in files and has for its principal object to provide a simple and eliicient means whereby various records may be kept and filed in an alphabetic order, the files being-of such construction as to facilitate access thereto.

kOne of the important objects of the present invention is to provide a file which includes a cabinet, and a plurality of files arranged therein, means being associated with the cabinet and the files for preventing the displacement `of the files from the cabinet.

A further object is to provide a means whereby the files may be readily7 arranged so as to accommodate either small or large records, the cabinet being of such construction as toy enable the same to be readily placed in any desirable place without occupying much space.

A further object is to provide a file of the above mentioned character, which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong and durable and furthermore adapted for the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and .advantages of this invention will become apparent during `the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the same: 1

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the cabinet 'with the cover removed showing the manner in which the files are arranged within the same.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on line 2-2 of Figure 1 and showing the cover for the cabinet in position thereon.

Figure 3 'is a sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Figure 3.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the files and the fastening wire associated therewith, and

Figure 6 is a detail one of the index cards.

In the drawing, wherein vfor the purpose perspective view of of illustration is shown the preferred em-` bodlment of my invention, the numeral 1` designates generally the cabinet forming a part of the present filing system, the same being substantially rectangular in design and including the side walls 2 and 3 and the front and rear walls 4 and 5 respectively. Side plates 6 and 7 'are removably secured to the sides 2 and 3of the cabinet and the upper edges of the side plates terminate a short distance below the upperl edges of the sides as clearly illustrated in Figure 3. Removable end plates 8 and 9 are associated with the front and rear ends respectively of the cabinet and the upper edges of the end plates are substantially flush with the upper edges of the side plates whereby the cover 10 may r-e-st on the upper edges of the removable plates in the manner as also clearly shown in Figure 3. i

The front and rear ends 4 and 5 of the cabinet are supported on the cross strips 11 and l2 respectively` which extend transversely across the bottom 13 of the cabinet. The front and rear ends of the cabinet are each provided with the aligning vertically arranged spaced slots 14, two of such slots being provided as clearly shown in Figure 1 and the purpose thereof will also vhereinafter be more fully described.

Partitions 15 extend longitudinally withi in the cabinet and the ends thereof are slidably received in the aligning slots 14 provided in the front and rear ends of the cabinet. The outer ends of the partitionsl lie substantially flush with the outer` face of the front and rear ends of the cabinet and are normally held against longitudinal sliding movement by means of the end plates 8 and 9. The bottom edges of the partitions are spaced from the bottom 13 of the cabinet by means of the strip 16 and similar strips 17 are kplaced between .the bottom edges of the sides 2 and 3 and thebottom 13 of the cabinet as clearly illustrated in Figure 3 whereby the upper edges of the Y partitions all lie in the same plane.

Adapted tobe supported withinthe cabinet 1 are a plurality ofV tiles. Each file 18 is formed of a singlepiece of material preferably cardboard which is folded along its n p longitudinal center as illustrated at 19, the

side edges of each ile are cut away as illustrated at 20 so that the lower portion of each file will fit between the sides of the cabinet and the shoulders 21 formed by the cut t away portions will cooperate with the upper edges of the sides of the cabinet in a manner as more clearly illustrated in Figure 3. Each file is further'slit upwardlyv from its folded portion 19 as illustrated at 22 for cooperation with the partition 15 whereby the iles may be properly placed in the cabinet. rPhe partitions 15v and the slits 22 cooperate whereby each file is preferably divided into three individual compartments of a suitable widt-h. Thisv enables record: sheets of a relatively smaller size than the compartments formed by the partitions to be placed in the respective tiles, the record sheetsbemgpreferably filed away in alphabetic order.

An index card' such as is shown at 23 isV of such width as to enable the same to be inserted in one of the compartments of certain ofthe files', preferably the central compartment anda tab 24 is formed; on the upf per` edge of the index card and hasprinted thereon the letter indicative of the rst' lettern of the` name ony the record sheet or card which is to be filed. The tab 24 of each of the index cards is visible by providing the upper edgesI of each ofV the files` 18 at the central portion thereof with thev cut away portions 25. The purpose of providing a card index of this character is to enable the card to, be readily inserted andy removed with respect to a file so that anyv number of files may be used in connection with the tiling of records ofv persons whose names begin with the same letter.

The files are adapted to be supported in thev cabinet against accidentalv displacement therefrom by means of suitable wires. shown at 26. Thewires extend? transversely across the bottom of' the-cabinet through the strips 16 and 17l andthe side plates 6r and 7, which are, removably secured to the sides 2 and 3 ofthe cabinet, cover the ends of the wires so as to prevent the displacement of the same from the cabinet. Each wire 2G engages the folded portion 19 of the respective files in the manner as clearly illustrated in the drawings. This will prevent the files fromL being moved vvertically within the cabinet and in order to remove or insert additional files, it is necessary to remove the side plates 6 and 'Z and. withdraw the wires to--either ofthe sides of the cabinet..

When it is desired to tile records which are of Isiuch size as will not permit the same to be received in the compartmentsformed by the partitions and slots above mentioned, the front end plate 8' is removed from the front end 4 of the cabinet and the partitions 15 are moved longitudinally through the slots 14 in the front end of the cabinet so that the partitions will be entirely removed from; the slits 22 pro-vided in the files 18 and' the records of a width less than the width of the cabinet may be inserted in the files.

As is shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, thefiles are arranged within the cabinet so that ready access thereto may be had and 'I0 .the various letters on the tabs 24 of the index cards 23 are at all times visible so that considerable time will? be saved in locating the proper file.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, that a filing system has been provided which will save considerable time and labor in retaining records and furthermore the cabinet is of such construction as f to enable the same tobe'readil'y handled and" 80 placed in a suitable receptacle where the same will not occupy any considerable amount of: space.

7h-ile I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to beun'der- 85 stoodf that various cli-anges in thesrize, Shape and arrangement of' parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit ofthe invention and thev scope of the appended claims. n f

Having thusl described the invention, what I claim is In a tilingl system, a cabinet, a plural-ity of' files, means for dividing each of'said tiles into independent compartments, said means comprising spaced partitions arranged inthe cabinet, each of said files having slots formed therein for cooperationk with the partitions, and means associ-ated with the cabi'- net for facilitating the renal-'ovaly of the par- 100 titions with respect to the cabinet and the files.

2. In a filing system, a cabinet, a plurality of tiles, meansfor dividing said files into independent compartments, said means comprising spaced partitionsv slidable longitudinally through the ends of the cabinet, the ends of the parti-tions being normally disposed in the slots provided? therefor in the respective ends of the cabinet, each of saidl i'l'es having slots formed thereiny for cooperation with the partitions, and means associated with the ends of the cabinet for facilitating the removal of the partitions.

3. In a filing system, a cabinet, a plurality of files, meansl'for dividing` said files into independent compartments, said' means comprising spaced partitions, slidable longitudinally through the ends of the cabinet, the ends of the partitions being normally disposed in the slots provided therefor in the respective ends of the cabinet, each of said files having slots formed therein for cooperation with thepartitions, and means associated with the ends of' the cabinet vfor 125 facilitating the removal of the partitions, the said last mentioned means comprising removable plates secured on the outer faces of the respective ends: ofA thev cabi-net.

4. In a filing system, Va cabinet, a plurali- 130 ty of spaced longitudinally extending strips arranged in the bottom of the cabinet, the ends of these cabinets being provided With aligning vertically disposed slots, a plurality of partitions through the aligning slots in the respective ends of the cabinet, the bottom edges of the partitions adapted to rest on the aforementioned strips, the ends of the partitions being disposed in the aligning slots of the ends of the cabinet, each of said files having slots formed therein 'for cooperation With the partitions, and plates movably secured on the outer faces of the ends of the cabinet for normally preventing the accidental displacement of the partitions from the cabinet, and further facilitating the removal of the partitions.

5. In a filing system, a cabinet, a plurality of spaced longitudinally extending strips arranged in the bottom of the cabinet, the

ends of these cabinets being provided with aligning vertically disposed slots, a plurality of partitions through the aligning slots in the respective ends of the cabinet, the bottom edges of the partitions adapted to rest on the aforementioned strips, the ends of the partitions being disposed in the aligning slots of the ends of the cabinet, each of said files having slots formed therein for cooperation With the partitions, plates movably secured on thevouter faces of the ends of the cabinet for normally preventing the accidental displacement of the partitions from the cabinet, and further facilitating the removal of the partitions, and means for securing the files in the cabinets against vertical movement.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JULIUS R. BERNDT. 

